12-12-2023 12:38pm

Bringing Christmas to Area Kids

Beth Callahan Editor

Submitted photo

CARLISLE, OH -- It’s that time a year again where Bilbrey Marketing and Friends are busy shopping for, wrapping and delivering Christmas presents to local area kids.

Started by husband and wife team Kim and Tim Bilbrey about 16 years ago in their garage, the idea to help just a few families at Christmas has grown into a rather large undertaking. This year over 200 volunteers have invested either time or money or both sponsoring over 160 kids in three separate school districts: Carlisle Franklin and Lebanon.

Kim explained this wouldn't be possible without all the volunteers helping. Along with donating the gifts, the volunteers help wrap and distribute all the gifts, which according to Kim the distribution begins today (Wednesday).

The kids, who will be receiving these gifts, are from families that have been referred to Kim through the social workers, the school coordinators, the teachers, and the school nurses in the school district.

“We have specific niche of people we are looking to help,” Kim said, explaining that many of the families they help are grandparents raising grandkids, single parents who are working but can’t make ends meet, siblings raising sibling's children, families where a parent is terminally ill or very ill and they just can't afford to purchase presents."

Two new things have been added to this year's giving program. One being, each of these families will also receive a food basket. This allows for the families to have some extra food on hand while the kids are home for holiday break and will not be at school where they normally may get lunch and breakfast.

Also added to Santa's list of gifts this year are the names of 53 pre-school students. Not only will they each get a gift, but each of their classrooms will be receiving holiday party activities to do during their holiday parties.